18 tips for making your perfume last longer, choosing a signature scent – and why some fragrances smell amazing on others but weird on you

We hear a lot about fragrance layering as a way to give our perfume staying power (using the shower gel, body cream, oils and mist in the same scent is a surefire way for your fragrance to linger), but the formula of your scent of choice is important too. 

An eau de parfum will have the strongest concentration, while an eau de toilette is lighter. Mists are lighter still. 

Céline had a super simple trick, though: "An easy trick is to spray your clothes as well as your skin! The fabric retains the scent well."

The trend for gourmand scents is going nowhere, and Céline points out that vanilla scents don't necessarily mean sickly sweet. 

"It really depends on the full composition and what the vanilla is paired with," she said. "Look for notes of orris, woods, spices and even leather sat alongside vanilla to offer something more mature and elevated."

Lots of wedding planning is stressful, but choosing a wedding fragrance is a relatively low-stakes and incredibly fun element of wedmin. 

Céline suggests that as a starting point, explore the different olfactive areas to see which ones you like – think woody, creamy, floral etc.

"From there, explore different scents within the same category. It's important to take time in finding the right scent as this will correlate with your memories of the day, so I would focus more on the emotional associations you make with the scent you choose.

"In regard to wearing an entirely new fragrance or not, I would say this is down to the individual. Some people may appreciate the comfort of a familiar scent on an emotional day like this, but others may want something entirely different to create a new scent memory."

Her final word on W-day scent?  "You need to find a scent that gives you confidence but also comfort on the day, something familiar but exciting. Take the time to try it on your skin."

Summer scents are easy – we look for solar, sun-soaked fragrance with notes of SPF and coconut, but winter isn't as clear-cut. 

"I tend to find myself leaning towards warmer, woodier and spicier fragrances in the winter months," says Céline as a starting point. "If your fragrance exists in a higher dosage, it may be worth trying as an intense version may offer that warmth that you are looking for."

You're not imagining it, promise! Céline explains that both our perception of scent and our skin chemistry change because of hormones. For example, in pregnancy, we become more sensitive to certain and unexpected smells. So, while it's discombobulating to suddenly feel averse to your signature scent, it's fun to discover a fresh favourite in your new era.

Céline said that all sorts inspire her creations, from food and travel to daily life. "When I travel, I like to find ingredients that are local and important to the region, and I like to immerse myself in different cultures through perfumery. In regard to the strangest scent I've had to recreate, petrol definitely comes to mind!"

We've all had the unpleasant experience of spraying a long-forgotten scent and noticing it's not quite the same as we remembered. Céline says perfume definitely has a shelf life. "You can usually tell when the scent itself starts to change and smell different from when you first bought it. 

The top notes, like citrus or spices, tend to disappear. One tip to help your perfume last longer is to store it in a dark and cool place and avoid your bathroom as the warmth and light will make it go off sooner."

If you've ever fallen for a fragrance on a stranger in the street and then been put off when you tried it yourself, Céline says it's down to our individual skin chemistry, such as our PH, hormones and age. This is also why something might smell divine on a paper blotter, and barely noticeable on your skin."

"Experts in perfumery often say if you can't smell a fragrance on yourself it's because your brain acknowledges it as your olfactive identity! So, it is always better to try on skin over a blotter to see how it interacts with your skin."

There are no hard and fast rules to layering. According to Céline, it's a case of trial and error. "Don't restrict your creativity - you could be shocked by some pairings. As a starting point, musky fragrances are usually an easy option and pair well with anything," she recommends.